Report: Wolves eye Benfica's Rafa Silva, the 'Portuguese Eden Hazard'

Since Iberian super-agent Jorge Mendes took up his unofficial ‘sporting director’ role at Wolves upon the club’s takeover by Fosun International in 2016, the club have brought in a raft of players from Portugal’s top flight – including three from reigning Champions Benfica.

Silva became the second most expensive player in Benfica’s history when they signed him from SC Braga for £14.5 million in the latter stages of the 2016 transfer window.

But the versatile 24-year-old, who can play on the right or through the middle, has not lived up to his huge transfer fee so far. Silva scored just twice in 20 Primeira Liga appearances last season and has fallen down the pecking order so far this time round with just one league start and 153 minutes of action.

As such, the report claims that Benfica would consider letting the ten-time Portugal international leave the Estadio Da Luz in January with a loan move potentially on the cards.

And while Wolves are not short of creative talent, fellow Iberians Diogo Jota, Helder Costa and Ivan Cavaleiro providing the ammunition for Brazilian striker Leo Bonatini, Silva could be a cut above the rest if he finds the form that saw him emerge as arguably Portugal’s most exciting youngster prior to his ill-fated move to Benfica.

Danny Owen

Daniel is a Journalist graduate from Leeds Trinity University and is generally obsessed with everything football related. Daniel watches everything from Augsburg in the Bundesliga to Vitesse in the Eredivisie with as much La Liga as possible thrown in for good measure.